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Published by TasekPauh Blogspot
on Wednesday, April 04, 2007 at 10:10 PM.

British sailors to be freed

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the announcement at a press conference

Tehran, March 4 (Agencies) - Iran will free 15 Britons captured on March 23 in what Tehran says was Iranian waters, according to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The president made the vow in a press conference in Tehran on Wednesday afternoon.

He said that he was pardoning the sailors as a gift to Great Britain and gave medals of honour to the Iranain coast guards who arrested the Royal Navy personnel.

"On behalf of the great Iranian people, I want to thank the Iranian Coast Guard who courageously defended and captured those who violated their territorial waters," the president told a press conference.

He added: "We are sorry that British troops remain in Iraq and their sailors are being arrested in Iran."

Ahmadinejad also criticised Britain for deploying Leading Seaman Faye Turney, one of the 15 detainees.

"How can you justify seeing a mother away from her home, her children? Why don't they respect family values in the West?" he said.